groaned, tossing it aside. More digging revealed a silk sundress, tons of lingerie, and several pairs of fishnets. Good God, when did she think I was going to wear those here? I resisted the urge to run next door to the room she was sharing with Stan and choke her with them. Two suitcases full of clothing, most of it completely unsuitable. I sighed and headed for the shower.
The long, hot shower perked me up immensely. It felt weird to go 24/7 without even a nap, but while I was weary from travel, was I sleepy? No.
I luxuriated in the soap and hot water until my fingers began to wrinkle, then reluctantly got out, drying myself off and wrapping my hair in a towel. I slathered lotion on my arms as I walked back into my room to get dressed. There might be a good guidebook in the gift shop downstairs; I’d check it out.
A wolf whistle made me look up in shock and I saw Zane on my bed dressed, looking up at me appreciatively. “Wow, you sure did fill out. I think you’ve got a bigger rack than Remy.”
I swallowed the scream that had bubbled in my throat and ripped the towel off my head, wrapping it around my body. “What the
He gave me a devilish smile. “I woke up. I was hoping you’d missed me. I guess not.”
“You guessed right.” I went to the bed and pulled at his leather jacket. “Please get out of here so I can get dressed.”
“Why leave? I’ve already seen everything you’ve got to offer, Princess.” He beamed a slow smile at me, teeth gleaming. “Modesty is misplaced in one of your kind, my dear.”
I clutched the towel tighter. “You have three seconds before I call security.”
He laughed. “Security won’t be coming over, my dear. They all think I’m your boyfriend, and I bribed the bellhop-who’s quite in love with you and your red hair-to stay away. I told him you were into kinky sex games and tended to get noisy.” He traced a circle on the bed with his finger. “Speaking of which, isn’t it about time for your Itch to kick in? Your eyes are blue.”
“Get out! I mean it.” I searched for something to throw at him. “If you don’t leave this room this instant …” My fingers closed around a stiletto sticking out of my suitcase, and I lobbed it at him with all my force.
It smacked him straight on the forehead. Before I could delight in my perfect aim, Zane fell back with a groan of pain.
The room was silent. I frowned and stared at his unmoving body sprawled across my bed. “Zane?”
No response.
Crap. I’d done it now. I’d gone and killed the vampire queen’s premier employee. I scrambled over to the bed. He was pale, but then again, he was always pale. There was a bright red blotch on his forehead, and he was completely, utterly motionless. Worry niggled at me, and I put a finger under his nose to see if he was still breathing.
Nothing.
“Shit,” I cursed, jumping onto the bed beside him and slapping his cheek. “Wake up, Zane. Wake up.”
No response.
I took his chin in my hand and jiggled his head back and forth. “Come on, wake up,” I pleaded. “Your queen is going to kill me if she finds out that I accidentally killed you with a shoe.” I leaned over him, prying open one of his eyelids to check his pupil.
“I think I’m gonna need mouth to mouth,” he said suddenly, his arms snaking around me to pull me down against his naked chest. “Wanna volunteer?”
I yelped in shock and tumbled onto him, losing my balance. My elbow slammed into his chin and he gave another groan of pain. “Let go of me,” I demanded, trying to pry his arms off my waist.
“Damn, baby. This is the best view I’ve had all day,” Zane said appreciatively when my now-bared breasts brushed against his face.
Hot desire pounded through me, immediate and horrifying. I put my hand against Zane’s chest and shoved hard, but my wimpy muscles were no match for a vampire’s strength.
In a blink, Zane had me flat on my back and was straddling my naked body, his heavy form pressed over mine, his knee sandwiched between my own. My struggles to get up lessened as the familiar lick of fire ignited in my body, and my pulse sped up as he leaned over me, his eyes hot on my damp flesh.
“Well, well, well,” Zane breathed. I caught the glimmer of red in his eyes that told me he was feeling it, too. “Looks like I win the wrestling match, Blue Eyes. Do I get a prize?”
He stretched my arms above my head and leaned over me, his breath light and hot on my cheek. His face brushed close to mine and I heard him inhale my scent.
A tingle shot straight down my legs and I wriggled under him, but it was more of a token protest at this point. “Zane,” I pleaded.
“No more begging for me to free you, Blue Eyes?” His lips nibbled across my jaw, and I sucked in my breath in sheer delight. “No more throwing things at me?” I felt the graze of his teeth against the soft flesh of my neck, just enough to excite me and make me writhe.
He ground his clothed groin against my naked flesh, and I lost track of everything in that moment.
His lips teased a trail down to my collarbone and straight to my breasts. “You like being here with me, don’t you, Princess? I can see in your eyes what you really want.” His tongue touched the valley between my breasts and I bit my lip, hating the moan that bubbled in my throat.
“My eyes tell you nothing,” I breathed, trying not to arch my breasts straight into his lips, “except that I don’t have any choice over what my body wants.” A token protest at best; at this point, I didn’t want to stop.
Zane paused, his form growing still atop mine. Then, a soft chuckle. “Touche, Princess.” He kissed the peak of one breast gently, inflaming me, and then took my hand in his to pull me up off the bed. “Get dressed.”
“Huh?” I blinked, ready to toss him down on the floor and have my way with him. Vampire or not, he was gorgeous, sensual, and I was Itching like mad. “Get
He turned away, straightening his heavy coat. “You wanted to see Nitocris’s tomb, right? I’ll take you there tonight. Just give me a few minutes to … prepare myself.”
I frowned. “Excuse me? Were we, or were we not just about to make out on my bed? I don’t know about vampires, but I can’t just shut this stuff off like it’s a faucet.” The blood was throbbing so hard in my nether regions that I was going to need another shower to be able to walk, if he wasn’t going to help me out.
Zane turned to face me, his eyes a vivid red that turned my angry retort into a muted squeak of distress. “On the contrary, Princess.” A rueful smile curved his lips. “I can no more turn it off than you can. But I am not the monster you make me out to be, and if your heart isn’t in it, neither is mine.”
I gasped. “You’re going to torture me like that, then hang me out to dry? You
The hint of a smile returned to those disturbing red eyes. “I said I wouldn’t take you against your will. You only need to ask me, Jackie.”
I wouldn’t ask. I’d burn in Hell first.
No doubt sensing my answer, he turned and headed for the door. “Fifteen minutes and I’ll be back. I expect you to be ready to go.”
That didn’t give me much time. I dove for the phone. “Let me call Remy and tell her-”
“No. Just me and you tonight.”
Suspicion shot through me. “This is serious stuff, and we’re going to need Remy’s help.”
“Those are my terms. You and me alone, or not at all.”
I sighed. “Fine. Fifteen minutes.”
As soon as he left the room, I called Remy. “Here’s the situation,” I said. “Zane says he’ll take me to the tomb, but you guys aren’t invited.”
“Mmm,” Remy said, and then I heard her break into a giggle, followed by Stan’s moan.
“Oh,
Remy laughed at me. “Do you trust Zane, or do you think this is a trap?”
“I suppose I trust him,” I said, thinking back to our conversation. “I don’t know what he’s up to, but he can’t murder someone who’s already dead, right?”
“Honey, you’re worth more to his kind alive than dead, trust me on that. Murder’s probably the furthest thing
